The Series Has Landed

TSL is a great second episode. As essentially the second part of our two part introduction to Futurama, it does a splendid job. New characters (the PX employees) are introduced, with the most memorable introduction being that of Dr. John Zoidberg. The premise of the episode is simple, but the writers manage to have some fun with it, and make a great episode out of it. There are some quality background gags, and some really nerdy jokes in there - part of the Futurama appeal to a nerd like me.

Character development, the seeds of future plots, and even information that will help make sense of events in later seasons are all packed in, with the very funny opening backed up by an amazingly strong ending for a second episode. One of the best endings of the original run.

Voice acting is superb, the A and B plots dovetail very nicely, and there's a huge "shippy" element there for the Fry/Leela shippers. On top of all this, we get references to The Honeymooners, Disneyland, and even Redneck America that really made me smile.

I've got one complaint with TSHL. "I'll be blastin' all the humans in the world" has now wormed its way into my brain and entirely replaced the words to "She'll be comin' 'round the mountain". Damn you Bender!

Another quality delivery by the PX crew.

The Series Has Landed proves that Ken Keeler is a master of his craft. He is presented with a tough situation; introduce 4 secondary main characters in one act. Establish their personality and what they do.

Fortunately, the episode comes out on top. There are many memorable quotes and situations in this episode (such as 'I'll just build my own lunar lander!', 'Ah, to be young again and also a robot' and many many more).

However, plotwise, the episode is not so strong, while not entirely weak, the plot is somewhat forgettable. It's essentially character driving, but as well done as in "I, Roommate" or as goofy as in "Mars University". But that is actually okay, because that is a safe bet for a second episode. It's like 'let's see what these characters can do'-kind of episode.

Much like the rest of season 1, this episode suffer from not entirely established voices for the characters. So I won't completely fail them, but cannot give them top rates either.

Continuity-wise is this episode a great tease, but we'll have to wait till season 3's "Bendin' in the Wind" before we get back to the folksinging!

The show built on its incredibly strong pilot with an even stronger 2nd episode. The plot may not be a Futurama epic, but it does an absolutely outstanding job of establishing the sort of futuristic world that the show's dealing with. A trip to the moon is like a trip to the park a thousand years into the future. On top of this, it's simply quite a funny observation. And for a story about characters going to an amusement park, there's far more scope and emotion than you'd expect. It's all the more worthy of praise when you take into account that the first act was saddled with the task of establishing all of the main characters not seen in the pilot (Hermes, Amy and Dr Zoidberg).

On the comedy front, the episode again builds on the pilot. It's quicker, more confident in its approach, and most quite simply funnier.

The Series Has Landed is an extremely fitting title; it essentially sums up my feelings on the episode.

Often considered part 2 of the Pilot. The Series Has Landed is the one that introduces the entire Planet Express crew, including Hermes, Amy, and Dr Zoidberg (the most memorable one). The plot is the first space delivery to the Moon, with Fry being excited to go on there, whilst everyone else only goes there for the amusement part. Bender gets in trouble, and the crew have trouble leaving the Moon.

The jokes are easy to understand, with Bender delivering most of the best jokes in the episode. Who doesn't crack up when a magnet gets attached to his head and he ends up randomly singing songs? It's even got a little emotion to it, and in my opinion it does everything correctly. A solid 9/10 overall.

I know other people aren't as over the moon (pun not intended, but I suppose it works) about this episode as I am, but I really do think this is one of the best the series--let alone the season--has to offer. There is something exciting about seeing the crew go on their first mission; all that throat-clearing stuff, the character introductions, are funny and don't seem at all forced (my personal favorite is the "Just sign the paper" scene between Hermes and Leela, but there's something equally amusing about Fry getting a physical from Dr. Zoidberg). Once we get to the moon, not only are there some great observational bits (Fry acting like an idiot, buying gifts for other idiots, for example), but we get a really funny Amy/Bender subplot (their dynamic, which I think has been sorely underused in the series, is interesting).

My favorite thing about this episode, though, is how perfectly it captures the sense of wonder that Fry has about the future. You really understand why, for a kid growing up in the 1970s and '80s, going to the moon would be such a big deal. That conversation between Fry and Leela, in the lunar lander, is so wonderful: sweet, sincere, dare I say live-action-y (in the most complimentary sense of the phrase). One of my biggest complaints about season one (and much of season two) is that Fry seems like a bland, selfish guy whose only outstanding trait is how plumb stupid he is--any insight into his character, any moment of organic emotion (which we get plenty of in seasons three and four), is much appreciated.

Gag-wise, this episode is an improvement on SP3K. The crew outrunning a psycho moon hillbilly; Amy and Bender discussing crane games and lovemaking; Farnsworth keeping Amy around because she has the same blood type; "He was just using space travel as a metaphor for beating his wife"--all are laugh-out-loud worthy moments for me.

I'm kind of programmed to love all Ken Keeler episodes by default, but I think the guy solidified his standing as one of the most accomplished writers on Futurama very early on. He pulls of emotions, humor, and crazy sci-fi plots seemingly effortlessly--and this episode is no exception.

The second episode in the Futurama series, "The Series Has Landed", introduces the rest of the main characters at Planet Express and sees our crew make their first delivery -- to the moon. Fry is disappointed to discover that a cheesy amusement park has been established on the moon and subsequently drags Leela out on a dangerous expedition outside the park, while Planet Express intern Amy Wong discovers that she has misplaced the keys to the ship and sets about recovering them.

As in the pilot episode, "The Series Has Landed" brings out Fry's spirit of adventure and wonder, as well as his incompetent boobery. In stark contrast, Leela repeatedly belittles Fry's fantasies about exploring the moon while keeping the two of them alive. Leela's patronizing attitude is understandable considering the life-threatening circumstances, but still seems quite harsh. Highlights of the episode include the misappropriation of Jackie Gleason's famous Honeymooners line "one of these days, Alice...straight to the moon!" and the scene of Fry and Leela taking refuge in the original Apollo 11 craft as the Earth rises.